The scent of woodsmoke and freshly baked bread filled the air as the sun peeked over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. It was my birthday, and I was turning two. My tiny hand reached out to grasp the bars of the wooden fence, peering through the gaps at the clearing beyond. My mother, Lilith, stood there, a figure of grace and strength, her movements fluid as she practiced with a sword.
But this wasn't the wooden sword she usually used. This one gleamed in the morning light, a blade of polished steel that seemed to hum with power. My heart pounded in my chest, a mixture of awe and confusion. Why was she using a real sword today?
My Aunt Kyla appeared beside me, her warm smile a beacon in the early morning light. "Hey, Faelan," she said, her voice gentle. "Want to come out and watch your mom closer?"
I nodded eagerly, eager to get a better look at the magnificent sword. My aunt lifted me from the ground, her hands strong and comforting. As we stepped out into the clearing, I saw my mother's wooden sword lying abandoned on the ground. My small hand instinctively reached out, picking it up and lifting it high.
My mother turned, her eyes widening in surprise. "Faelan," she said, her voice filled with warmth. "Do you want to learn how to use a sword too?"
My mind raced. In my past life, I was Cean, the Emperor of the Crimson Empire, a skilled swordsman who had led countless victories. I had wielded blades far more powerful than this wooden toy. But I was a child now, and I had to play the part.
"Yes," I said, my voice small and innocent. "I want to learn."
The days that followed were a blur of training. My mother taught me the basic stances, the proper grip, the art of parrying and striking. I was a quick learner, my body remembering the muscle memory of a lifetime spent honing my skills. But I held back, pretending to struggle, to be a child learning for the first time.
My father, Gerald, a skilled hunter and a man of few words, returned from his daily expeditions with gifts and stories. He brought me a strange piece of wood, two small magic crystals adorning its ends, connected by a longer one in the middle. He called it a magic bow, a gift for me to learn archery.
My aunt, a powerful sorceress, taught me the basics of magic. I felt a surge of power within me, a connection to the elements that was both exhilarating and terrifying. When I focused my will, fire flickered to life in the palm of my hand. A spark of electricity danced around my fingers, then vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
My aunt saw the lightning, but she didn't comment. She simply smiled, her eyes twinkling with a knowing gleam.
My second birthday arrived, and it was time for my test. I stood before my mother, the wooden sword a familiar weight in my hand. I attacked, my movements swift and precise, but she effortlessly deflected each blow. Her defense was impenetrable, her movements a blur of grace and strength.
I couldn't hit her. I couldn't even touch her.
I passed the swordsmanship test, but I was left with a nagging sense of unease. My mother was too strong. It wasn't normal for a villager to possess such skill.
My aunt, her voice filled with formality, announced, "Now, Faelan Azure, son of Lilith Azure and Gerald Azure, it is time for your magic test. You will use only your hands. You have one chance to pass. Do you understand?"
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. This was my opportunity to show them what I was truly capable of.
I focused my will, channeling the power within me. A fireball formed in my hand, its flames crackling with energy. I poured my mana into it, pushing it to its limits. The fire turned blue, then erupted into a ball of crackling lightning.
"Lightning ball magic!" I shouted, releasing the spell.
The force of the spell sent a shockwave through the air, nearly toppling a giant oak tree behind our house. My mother and aunt stood there, speechless, their eyes wide with astonishment.
"Faelan Azure," my aunt said, her voice filled with awe, "you have passed the test. Congratulations."
My mother clapped, her smile wide and proud. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.
I had heard the name Azure before. It was a legendary clan, known for birthing powerful mages every hundred years. Could I be one of them? But why couldn't I even land a single blow on my mother? Was she stronger than the Azure? Or was there something else at play?
My mother approached me, her eyes filled with a mixture of pride and concern. "I'm sorry, Faelan," she said. "I had to cheat on your sword test. I used magic to read your movements, so you couldn't hit me. But congratulations, you showed how skilled you are with the sword."
I knew it. There was something she wasn't telling me. But what? What was she hiding? And why?
My mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. The Azure, my mother's hidden strength, the strange feeling that something was missing.
My father returned that evening, his face beaming with pride. He congratulated me on passing my tests, and I felt a surge of warmth in my chest. He wanted to train me, to teach me the ways of the forest.
My mother protested, her voice filled with concern. "It's too dangerous, Gerald," she said. "The forest is no place for a child."
"Don't worry, honey," my father said, his voice firm. "I'll be with him. And Faelan is strong. He almost knocked down a giant tree with his magic. He can handle it."
My mother reluctantly agreed, her eyes filled with worry. "Be careful," she said. "Both of you."
My father smiled, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Don't worry, honey. You're the only outsider who has ever survived the forest and made it back to the village alive because of me. We'll be fine."
My mother, exasperated, swatted him playfully on the head. My aunt laughed, her eyes filled with amusement.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the clearing, I knew that my life was about to change. The forest awaited, and I was ready to face whatever challenges it held.
But a single question lingered in my mind, a question that would haunt me for years to come: What was my true destiny?